Exposure to Fire
by CelestialCircumference
Summary: Sakura had seen and done many things in her 22 years, but she never thought this would be one of them. Kaka/Saku lemon


Sakura had seen and done many things in her twenty-two years. Being a kunoichi pretty much assured that. She had met many ninja, famous and infamous alike, trained under one of the legendary Sanin, and had even met royalty and movie stars. She had chased down S-class criminals and stared death in the face without a flinch.

She was renowned as one of Konoha's top medic nins, an accomplishment anyone would be proud of. She had saved many lives, and helped bring life into the world, and suffered losses. She had fought in, and survived, the last Great War.

She had been there to witness Naruto give Hinata her first real kiss and always chuckled when she remembered how the beautiful Hyuuga nearly fainted.

She had watched and experienced Sai's developing social skills, surprising everyone that she didn't put him through a concrete wall when he politely asked if she would like to mate with him. She had simply laughed and told him to go read a book.

She had been there when Sasuke died, right by his side along with Naruto and Kakashi. She had tried to save his life, but by the time she had gotten there it was too late. The damage had been extensive and he had lost too much blood. Team Seven was reunited again, if only for a cruel moment.

She had finally reached Jounin status after her twentieth birthday and was paired with none other than her former sensei. The Hokage had confided in her that she was worried about him, always taking the highest paid, the most dangerous, missions, or finding solo missions that kept him out of the village for months at a time. She claimed that some human interaction, with someone other than the enemy, would be good for him, and she trusted no one more than Sakura.

Kakashi was surprised to find that he would be working with her, and pleased to see that time had changed her. But it wasn't really time that changed a ninja, it was the profession itself. Time changed the superficial things like her height, her cup size, and the fact that she "grew into her forehead." The profession had made her a little harder, a little more mature. There were still times when she was the same temperamental Sakura she had always been, but she was experienced. Her time out on the field shaped her to be quick on her feet, to think more rationally and quickly, to aim her deadly fists more precisely. Yes, Sakura was a beautifully dangerous kunoichi and she worked well with him.

During the past two years their bond had deepened, even if Kakashi didn't want it to at first. She could read him, which wasn't easy considering most of his face was covered the majority of the time. She was quiet when he needed it and she didn't press into his personal life. She didn't get upset if he didn't want to answer questions about himself, she had things she wouldn't tell either. She didn't care about his obscene book nor did she gawk at him the first time she saw his face. He found that she was a supplier of good conversation on long nights.

She was helpful and could shoulder her own weight and she had saved his ass more than once.

To Sakura, Kakashi had always been someone she could depend on. When she first met him she thought he was cold and aloof and she couldn't have been further off the mark. Even if he wasn't as emotionally stable as she considered herself to be, it was evident that he cared about her and all of his comrades. To her surprise, he wasn't uncomfortable in emotional situations for he had provided his shoulder to her many times. He never looked down on her because she was a female and she had learned many things from him during their time together. He had never sugar coated anything for her and even if his brutal honesty angered her at times, she was grateful for it. She knew that he considered her an equal and she was satisfied that she had reached that level with him. There was respect and an understanding between them.

They even stayed in contact while inside the village,although she sought him out more often than he did her. She would join him for lunch, or a walk and they often sparred together. She didn't hesitate to drag him to the hospital for his routine check ups, or meet him at a local pub and have a few drinks.

Spending time at home together, they learned new things about each other too. Kakashi found that Sakura was a decent cook and while she was often compared to cherries or different kinds of candy, because of her hair color, she didn't really care for either. She was a pretty good shogi player, but didn't stand a chance against someone like Shikamaru.

Sakura had no idea that Kakashi's selection of literature was so vast. She had seen him with one series since day one, so it was a surprise to see he had an overflowing book shelf. He could also knit, although he didn't do it much anymore. It was a distraction he picked up when he quit smoking, something else she didn't know he had done.

Of course, their close relationship spawned all sorts of rumors. Gossip never really affected Kakashi, but Sakura's friend was infamous for feeding the rumor mill and so Sakura never heard the end of it. Some rumors have a grain of truth to them, but these were just ridiculous. Sakura didn't have a teacher complex. Kakashi wasn't going through some mid life crisis and bedding a former student to feel young again. He was in his early thirties for Kami's sake. In the beginning they would trade rumors they had heard about themselves and have a good laugh, but after two years the rumors had ceased.

Sakura was currently locked away in a doctor's quarter. A squad of ANBU had returned, the majority of them were injured and two were in critical condition. She had used up a fair amount of chakra healing them and performing the surgeries on one of the critical members. She was tired. Things had been relatively quiet since the demise of the Akatsuki and the end of the War, but Kakashi knew better. He had a sixth sense for these sorts of things. He had said that the silence felt ominous, that something would be coming and he was right.

Sakura rolled over onto her side, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. Kakashi. It had been nearly a month since she last saw him. She supposed it was her fault … or maybe it was his. Hell, maybe they were both equally guilty. Things between them had changed and she couldn't pinpoint when it all started, but his touches lingered and they held each others gazes for longer than necessary. They were finding excuses to touch each other or to be together. Sparring often became too intense and times when they ate or went out drinking together, their good humored conversation was merely flirting in disguise.

Their last mission had been the one that broke them, that pushed them over that line that they had been so comfortable in not crossing. It was supposed to be simple but things in their line of work rarely were. If she closed her eyes, she could still see it all clearly.

_Sakura sat up disoriented, her ears ringing something fierce from being in close range when the explosion went off. She pulled herself from the rubble remains of the wall. There was a burning pain in her forearm and she quickly mended the gash. She stood on shaky legs, her equilibrium slowly returning. Her panic filled jade eyes scanned the remains of the warehouse._

"_Kakashi?!"_

_Where was he? He had been just a couple of meters away from her before the blast, now all she could see through the smoke was steel and concrete. She hurried to where he had been standing, turning in a full 360, looking for any sign of him. Then she felt it, a small pulse of his chakra, faint but there._

_She sprinted toward the signal and fell onto her knees beside him, "Kakashi? Kakashi, can you hear me?!"_

_No response. She took a deep breath and slipped into medic mode, checking his pulse and breathing and not liking what she found. She pressed her chakra infused hands to his chest to assess the damage and then went to work repairing muscle and the tissue around his lungs._

_The moment he gasped and took in his first lungful of air she cried out in happiness, tears gliding down her cheeks._

"_Thank goodness! Can you hear me?"_

_He groaned in reply and that was good enough for her at the moment._

"_I'm going to have to move you," she told him, "it's probably going to hurt."_

_There was a slight nod of his head and she helped him into a sitting position. She pulled a scroll form her pouch, unrolling it before them She turned and looked at him briefly, "Hold onto me."_

_She released the seal and they were gone in a puff of smoke._

_Sakura helped lay him down at one of their previous camp sites where he lost consciousness again. She removed his flak vest, mask, and his shirt. She poured her chakra into him, working on his wounds for hours, fixing broken ribs and torn ligaments. She set and mended his broken radius in his right arm and then cleaned his gashes and other cuts, healing the more serious ones. The chakra she exhausted while fighting, and teleporting, and healing finally took its toll and she collapsed across his chest._

_Sakura wasn't sure how long she slept, just that she was roughly being shaken awake. She opened her eyes and met Kakashi's charcoal gaze. She felt immediate relief._

"_You're awake."_

"_And you weren't."_

"_What?"_

"_What were you thinking? You bring us to a location we've previously camped at and you exhausted yourself so much that you passed out. What if we had been found?"_

"_But we weren't."_

"_We could have been," he snapped, "that was stupid and you're smarter than that Sakura. Use your head."_

_She angrily pushed herself to her feet and paced the small area before wheeling on him, "What would you rather I have done? You were seriously injured and you were dying! Should I have stayed in the warehouse where the enemy knew where we were? I couldn't properly heal you there, I had to get us somewhere safe. I had to save you."_

"_Sakura, my life isn't-"_

"_Your life **is **important! You're important to the village and to me! I'm a healer Kakashi, but I couldn't save my parents and I couldn't save Sasuke … and I'll be damned if I let someone else I love die when I have the chance to save them," her voice carried through the trees, her balled fists trembling at her sides, her eyes glistening with unshed tears._

_Kakashi took a step toward her, "Sakura-"_

"_Don't spout your bullshit at me, I know you too well to buy it. And you should know me well enough to know that I wouldn't just let you die. If we were ever in that situation again, I'd do the exact same thing if it meant keeping you alive … if it meant staying by your side for another day. And you're such an ungrateful bastard! Can't you even say 'thank you for saving my life Sakura'?"_

_He came to stand in front of her, her breaths puffing out heavily against his exposed chest. He tentatively raised a hand and she was shocked when he caressed her cheek and rested his hand behind her neck, his thumb brushing at some dirt under hear ear._

"_Thank you for saving my life, Sakura."_

_Her eyes widened as she was suddenly pulled forward and his mouth slanted over hers. She was stunned and he continued to kiss and nip at her lips, coaxing her to respond and when she did, she did it enthusiastically._

_His hands roamed down over her backside where he firmly gripped her thighs and lifted her. She easily wrapped her legs around him and moaned as his tongue rubbed against hers heatedly. Her fingers scratched against his scalp before twining in his thick locks._

_Her back suddenly made contact with the nearest tree, the jagged bark digging into her back, but she didn't mind it in the least. One of his hands found its way up her shirt, grazing her toned abdomen and smooth skin. He roughly pulled at her bindings until her breasts were freed. She fit perfectly into his hand and he pressed his hips into her as he squeezed the supple flesh._

_She moaned out his name and then … he froze. He pulled his hand from under her shirt and he tugged at her legs. She unlocked her ankles and he abruptly set her back on the ground, putting some distance between them. Sakura was confused and she ran a hand through her hair._

"_What is it?"_

"_We can't do this, I'm sorry."_

"_But we were, everything was fine ..."_

_He pulled at his hair, "No Sakura, it's not fine. Get some rest, we still have an objective to complete."_

_She watched as he pulled his shirt on and picked up his vest. He made his way through the trees, away from her._

"_Where are you going?" she called after him._

"_To blow off some steam."_

They didn't bring up the incident again and after returning home Kakashi requested he be assigned to a squad if he couldn't work solo. The Hokage was more than okay with the idea, she needed her medic back in the hospital.

The next day Kakashi left on a mission and that was when she found out he had requested the change. She had been hurt and she was upset, worried that their friendship, or whatever it was, had been ruined. She didn't have much time to dwell on it though, her medical duties kept her quite busy after all.

She groaned as the intercom buzzed, "Code red. Code red. Haruno, Sakura you're needed immediately in the E.R. Report immediately to the E.R."

She huffed and got out of the cot, putting back on her identification badge, as if it was needed. It was time to get her head back in the game.

She hurried to the E.R weaving between the frantic nurses and doctors, "What's going on?"

"Squad six just returned."

Squad six? That was the group that Kakashi left with.

"One man is critically injured and is being prepped for surgery, this is his file."

Sakura took the folder with shaky fingers, hoping and praying it wasn't Kakashi. To her relief, it wasn't and then she was ushered through the doors where she joined Tsunade's side for the three hour surgery.

It had been a success and he was going to live and while she felt accomplished, she was still worried. She had checked with other doctors and nurses and there was no news on Kakashi. Her shift was over and she was about to head into her office when Shizune stopped her.

"What's wrong Shizune? You look as tired as I feel," she smiled but her voice held no humor.

"Lady Tsunade needs to see you."

"I was just about to make a couple of calls."

"She said to tell you 'now' and to give you the look."

"Okay, lets go," Sakura shrugged out of her coat and tossed it into her office.

She walked alongside a weary looking Shizune. If Tsunade summoned her, it was either really good or really bad and from Shizune's expression she was guessing it was the latter. Shizune opened the door, letting her in and then closed it. Sakura was surprised that she hadn't come inside too.

"Have a seat Sakura."

"Shishou, if I-"

"I said sit."

She did so, quickly, resting her hands in her lap. Tsunade let out a deep breath, "I heard you were asking around about Hatake, his squad did return after all."

"Yes."

"He didn't come back with them, Sakura."

She blinked, "I don't … understand."

"When they were ambushed, Kakashi and another member of the squad, Iyate, stayed behind giving the others a chance to escape. Iyate was-"

"The man we operated on," she finished for her.

"He stumbled in alone."

What she was trying to say registered in Sakura's mind but she refused to believe it, "So … Kakashi ..."

"I'm sorry Sakura, with the information we have right now, it appears that he didn't make it out alive."

The expression fell from her face and she stared blankly ahead. Kakashi was dead? There was no way. He couldn't have-

"Sakura?"

She jumped, her shishou's voice startling her, "What?"

"We're sending out word to Naruto. Neji is going to replace him so he can come home. I'll summon you when he arrives, you should be here when he gets the news."

She nodded absently, "Right."

"Go home Sakura."

Sakura rose from her seat without a word and left her office. Home? Go home. She couldn't, not right now. Instead she spent the next few hours walking aimlessly around Konoha, finding herself in front of Kakashi's apartment at the end of the day. She forced herself to turn around and go home.

Sakura didn't eat dinner even though her stomach grumbled, she didn't feel hungry. She didn't feel tired although she spent over thirty hours at the hospital. She just didn't feel like … anything. She sat in her quiet apartment, alone.

As night settled in and the street lamps flickered to life, she opened the window and sat on the sill. A warm breeze fluttered through her hair and invaded her home, disturbing some loose papers. She didn't care, that was the least of her worries at the moment. She wasn't one to complain, but this just wasn't fair. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. How was she going to face Naruto? A knock on her door disrupted her thought and her heart sped.

He was fast, but Naruto couldn't be back already, could he? She wasn't prepared for this, not yet. She walked over, hesitating to turn the knob. She took a breath and then opened the door, shock falling across her features.

"Kakashi," his name came out as nothing more than a whisper.

He leaned heavily against the door frame. He was filthy, covered in dirt and dried blood. His hair was in disarray, more so than usual, and he was clenching onto his side. She could see that his shirt was ripped and frayed and there were tears in his pants that were coated with blood.

Even in his condition he lifted his hand and smiled, his eye creasing, "Hey Sakura."

A tear escaped her left eye, still shocked and oh so happy to see him standing in front of her, alive, "They said you were … I thought you had-"

He raised his hand and brushed the tear away, "I don't die so easily, you know that."

He suddenly groaned and staggered forward. She wrapped her arms around him, supporting his weight the best she could, "You should be at the hospital."

"I'll survive."

She huffed and helped him to the couch before going back and closing the door, "I need to take a look at you."

"I had to come see you," he spoke quietly, ignoring her words, "I know you were working and I know you most likely worked on my squad members. I had to let you know first, that I was okay."

She smiled softly and helped him remove his vest, "Let me fix you up and then we can talk."

He complied, not complaining once when she removed his shirt, mask, and hitai-ate. He was still and quiet as she cleaned his wounds.

She gathered chakra to her hands, concentrating on the deep stab wound to his side first. Kakashi leaned his head back, relishing in the almost instant relief her chakra gave him. Once that spot was done she moved on to the other cuts, mending flesh and soothing away swelling. She raised up onto her knees beside him and began healing the fracture to his jaw.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?"

"If our last mission hadn't gone the way it did, you wouldn't have," she paused, "I could have-"

He removed her hands, "I was going to request the change regardless."

"Why? I thought you like working with me. We made great partners."

"I do and we did, but things change."

"They don't have to."

"You know they do."

"Was it me?"

"Yes."

She looked away from him. He slid his gloved hands up her arms, resting them on both sides of her face, "I had wanted to tell you before that it was our last mission together, but I couldn't. Then you went and saved my life and gave that little speech and all of these … things that I had been trying to ignore, I just couldn't fight any longer. I scared myself that day when I kissed you."

That certainly got her attention, "You were scared? Of what?"

"Of you and what you do to me. I know you felt it too, Sakura."

"Okay, but I still don't see why we can't work together."

"Because I can't afford any distractions on the field. I can't work beside you and constantly fight off and ignore how much I-" he stopped himself.

Her eyes searched his face questioningly. He sighed and pulled her to him, taking her lips forcefully with his. She didn't hesitate this time, quickly reciprocating and then deepening the kiss.

She hitched up her skirt as he grabbed her thigh and swung her leg over his. She smoothed her hands down his chest while his moved up the back of her shirt, finding that her bindings were gone and a bra was in place. He smoothly unclasped it, inching his fingers to her front and taking his time to appreciate the soft flesh.

His other hand twined into her hair at the back of her head, pressing her mouth harder against his before tugging her head back and attaching his lips to the smooth column of her throat. His grip slowly loosened and she lifted her head to look at him, more turned on than surprised at the feeling of desire in his gaze. She grabbed the bottom hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, her bra quickly following. She leaned back in kissing him once more.

With more strength than he probably should have used, he quickly lifted her and maneuvered them so she was flat on her back and he was hovering over her. The slight grimace didn't go unnoticed however.

"You're still hurt."

"Nonsense, I'm as fit as a fiddle."

"You're still recovering," she argued, gently pushing on his chest.

He sat up with an aggravated sigh. He was battle worn, sore, and dangerously aroused and she was worried about his physical state when she had dealt more damage to him before with her own hands.

She placed a finger under his chin and lifted his face to study his gaze, "You should let me take care of you."

The realization of what she meant hit him as she reached for his belt. She unbuckled it and tended to the button and zipper in the way. He helped her slide them off and then she lowered the zipper on her skirt, the silky material gliding off her effortlessly.

She reached for her panties when he stopped her, "Let me."

She nodded, a bit shyly, and he leaned forward wrapping his arms around her. He hugged himself against her stomach and she softly teased her fingers through his hair. He pulled back, placing a small trail of feather light kisses across her abdomen. His fingers curled inside the band and he slowly pulled them down, softly biting at her hip bone. That little act alone raised gooseflesh and made heat pool in her belly. She stepped out of the garment as it hit the floor.

Sakura was gorgeous as he had always known her to be, but this was different. She was intelligent and witty, confident, compassionate, and strong. She was beautiful in a natural way and didn't need to flaunt it like some women. Sakura was right when she said she was a healer, she had healed him in more ways than one and he loved her. He didn't want to admit it then, but the time away from her, almost losing his life – it had made him reevaluate his situation. He loved her and he was going to let her know.

She eased herself back into his lap, her soft body rubbing against his erection. He pulled her against him, tasting her lips once again. He could feel her heart pounding, or maybe it was his own, he wasn't sure anymore. Her fingers gently wrapped around his hardened cock and gave its length a few long strokes. He groaned against her mouth.

She lifted her hips and aligned herself with him, teasing his tip with her entrance. She let him past her nether lips and slowly sank down onto him. His eyes slid close and his mouth fell open producing a soft grunt as he found himself surrounded by her tight heat. Sakura leaned against him, it had been so long since she was last with a man, it was a bit much.

His lips were moving against her collarbone and the feel of his breath fanning out over her skin itself was exotic. She slowly started to grind her hips against his, her body in awe at the feeling of being stretched and filled so fully. She set a slow rhythm on top of him, her body rising and falling, taking as much of his length into her as she could every time her pelvis came down to meet his.

Kakashi watched her in wonderment, with both eyes, his tomoe spinning lazily as he drank her in. Nothing escaped him, like the way her hair fell across her shoulders, or the way her breasts bounced, or the way her muscles contracted and relaxed in her thighs. Her lips were slightly parted, giving way to soft mewls, and her cheeks were beginning to flush. She looked absolutely amazing.

He wet his fingers and reached between their bodies, effortlessly finding that hot bundle of nerves, and taking it between his thumb and forefinger. The sound she made captivated him and he had to hear it again. He rolled her clit between his fingers earning another beautiful cry. He was relentless in his ministrations as he pushed her faster to the edge. Her rhythm became erratic and her legs trembled, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

"I want to watch you come. Come for me baby."

"Ungh ...Ka-Kakashi. I … I'm gonna-"

"Come Sakura."

She rode against him blindly, her eyes shut tight as that coil of intense pleasure sprung forth, her mouth hanging open in a silent scream. His fingers slowed, but didn't stop, prolonging her orgasm. Her rhythm slackened until she was rocking against him languorously. Down from her high, she kissed him hungrily, appreciatively.

Kakashi was used to being in control and this situation, while very nice indeed, was chipping away at his resolve. He was going to play nice for her and do what she wanted but his urge to take control was rising. He gripped her hips firmly and bucked up into her. Her head fell away from his as she gasped. She moaned in delight when he did it again and she began moving her body, riding him with renewed energy.

Kakashi continued to thrust his hips upward, meeting her every push, hitting that spot deep inside her. Sakura surrendered control over to him, letting his hands work her against him in the way he desired and found she liked it very much. His grip was bruising, but the pleasure overwhelmed any other sensation. The sounds of their breathing, of their bodies meeting, and the cries and moans of delight filled her small apartment.

She was already racing toward another orgasm when Kakashi hissed, his blunt fingernails scratching into her skin.

"Fu-ck ...Sa-kura ..." the urgency in his voice told her what was happening.

"Me too," she uttered between breaths.

"Don't stop."

He crushed her against him, taking her lips with his. Her entire body shook as her orgasm tore through her, more intensely than the last and she screamed and moaned into his mouth. A growl erupted from the back of his throat as he hit his release, spilling his seed deep inside her. He tore away from the kiss, gasping harshly for air. Her head fell into the crook of his neck and they remained there while their breathing and heart beats slowed and returned to normal.

Sakura carefully pulled herself out of his lap, "Come with me."

"Where?" he asked curiously, he couldn't believe she could actually move, the couch was quite comfortable in hid opinion.

"It's late and my bed sounds like a really good idea. You could use some rest," she said with a satisfied smirk.

"You're right."

"Especially since I'm dragging you to the hospital first thing in the morning."

"What? I'm fine. Sakura-"

"Do you have any idea what kind of trouble I'm going to get into if Tsunade finds out that you came back and instead of me taking you to the hospital, I-"

"Got me naked and rode me into oblivion for over an hour?"

She shook her head, "How can you tease at a moment like this?"

"The same way you can bring up work right about now."

She huffed, but the smile never left her face, "You're insufferable."

"I love you, too."

Her smile faded and she looked at him seriously, "Don't joke like that."

He reached over and caressed her cheek, "I'm not."

Her smile slowly returned, "I'm glad. For a while I thought I was the only one who felt that way."

"There are so many more things I want to tell you and show you."

"Let's start by going to bed."

He looked at her outstretched hand and took it and as he followed her to her bedroom he knew he'd follow her anywhere and everywhere else.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and lurked on my first one shot. Feedback was very nice and I appreciate it more than I can really say. I hope you all enjoyed this one as well. I wanted to do something with a little more back story to their relationship, but I know it's still not perfect. Hopefully the next thing I publish will be the first chapter of my multi-chap Kaka/Saku story I have planned.

Enough rambling for now. Again feedback (especially constructive crit) is welcome and encouraged. Thanks for reading ^_^


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